Trade-In Tips & Resources

Trading Your Vehicle
Trading in your old vehicle can be a great way to make purchasing a new one an economically sound decision. If you decide to take this route, it is important that you have a good idea what your vehicle is worth before you go to the dealership. To get a free appraisal, simply go to the Instant Trade-In Offer page. Once you are there, here is what to do:

Kelly Blue Book is a credible 3rd party resource that validates your appraisal.
KBB, Edmunds, and Black Book are all credible sources for providing an accurate value for your vehicle. We provide Kelly Blue Book as an easy tool for your use. These tools will prompt you with a number of questions regarding the options, features, and specs of your car; be prepared to know all of this information. Leaving out options like AWD, navigation, and / or engine size can have a significant impact on the value of your vehicle.

Give an honest appraisal of the car’s condition.
Very few used cars are truly in excellent condition, but most are at least kept in decent repair. An honest appraisal will give you a more accurate price with which to bargain, which may help you with negotiations in the end.

Once you have this information you will be better prepared to understand the value of your trade at Prime.

Negotiating the Trade
When you go to the dealership to buy a new car, be sure to handle the negotiation for the new car separate from the negotiation for your trade-in. Here is a step-by-step process for properly negotiating your trade:

When the dealer first asks you if you will be trading your current vehicle, say no.

Negotiate the best deal you can on the new car. Make sure the dealer has fully disclosed the price you will be paying for the car. If you are financing or leasing, be sure you understand how they arrived at those payments; that means you know the down payment, the fees, and the financing or leasing terms and rates.

Once you have a solid understanding and have agreed to terms on the new car, tell the dealer that you would also like to know how much you could get for your trade.

Following these three steps will help ensure that you get the best deal possible for both your trade-in, and ultimately your new vehicle.